Greg Sankey explains why the SEC — not the Big Ten — is the strongest league ‘by far’
By Ethan Stone
Published:
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey spoke Wednesday night at the SEC spring meetings in Florida and fielded a question regarding the conferences’ exponentially growing rivalry with the Big Ten.
It goes without saying that the SEC and Big Ten are the 2 titans in college football right now. Both conferences recently expanded, adding powerhouse programs such as Texas and Oklahoma for the SEC and Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA for the Big Ten. Other top programs remain outside of these 2 giants such as Notre Dame, Miami and Texas Tech, but as far as high school recruits and transfers are concerned, the best of the bunch are overwhelmingly flocking to the SEC or Big Ten.
But while the SEC ran college football in the latter half of the 2010s and early 2020s, the Big Ten is starting to gain ground. The last 3 national champions hail from the Big Ten, and the conference has been superior when facing off against the SEC in the postseason — though matchups haven’t happened as much as you’d think. The SEC’s most recent triumph over the Big Ten in the College Football Playoff was Georgia‘s semifinal win over Ohio State in 2022-23.
So, when asked Wednesday where the 2 leagues stand, Sankey declared that the SEC is still the deepest league in America, which gives the conference an advantage moving forward. “”If you look at the entirety of our league, we are by far the most competitive, strongest league, by far,” he told reporters.
Here’s his full answer:
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Depth is foundational to an elite league, but the SEC has some work to do to reclaim a national title with the Big Ten’s momentum stronger than ever.
We’re in for a hell of a season.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
